Odeillo solar furnace, Solar furnace research facility in Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via, France.
The Odeillo solar furnace is a large research facility in the Pyrenees that uses mirror systems to concentrate sunlight onto a central point. The structure consists of several mirror sections working together to create extremely high temperatures.
A solar energy pioneer created the first solar thermal furnace project in 1949, which led to this facility being built during the 1960s. The development marked an important step in French research history for using renewable energy.
The facility shows how solar science became central to this mountain region's identity and research mission. Visitors can see how scientists use the sun's power to test materials and solve industrial problems.
Visitors can explore the outdoor areas and read information panels to understand how the facility works. Access is straightforward, and there are several viewpoints from which you can see the mirror structures well.
The mirror arrangement reaches temperatures as high as the sun's surface, making it one of the most intense artificial heat sources on Earth. This extreme concentration ability allows testing that would otherwise be impossible.
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